The Halloween holiday is coming soon, let’s get into the kitchen with TasteVN to make adorable, sweet popcorn cookies and ghost cookies to decorate the Halloween party with more liveliness!
1. Popcorn Cookies
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Preparation
2 hours 15 minutes
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Cooking
15 minutes
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Difficulty
Medium
Ingredients for Popcorn Cookies Serves 4
Unsalted butter 230 gr Sugar 200 gr Chicken egg 1 Pink salt 1/5 teaspoon Vanilla extract 1 teaspoon All-purpose flour 125 gr Baking soda 1/2 teaspoon Yellow food coloring 1/2 teaspoon Orange food coloring 1/2 teaspoon (or mix yellow and red)
How to make Corn Candy Cookies
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In a large bowl, add 230g of unsalted butter, 200g of sugar, and use a handheld mixer to beat the butter until it is well softened and combined with the sugar.
Next, crack 1 egg into the butter bowl, mix well, then add 1/5 teaspoon of pink salt, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly.
Continue to add 125g of all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to the bowl, and mix until the dough is well combined. At this point, knead the dough briefly by hand until it forms a smooth, elastic mass.
Take the dough out onto a clean surface, press it down flat, and divide it into 3 equal parts.
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Molding the dough for the first time
Prepare a rectangular mold lined with non-stick paper.
Take 1 portion of dough and place it into the mold, spreading it evenly and pressing down to compact the dough into the mold.
Tip: Use non-stick paper folded to fit the mold, place it on top of the dough, and press down with your hands for a smoother finish.
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Create color and mold the second time
Take a portion of dough and put it in a bowl, add a few drops of orange food coloring, mix well, and knead lightly to get a dense orange-colored dough.
Take this dough and put it into the colorless mold above, spread it evenly, then place parchment paper on top, pressing to make the dough smooth and firm.
Place the dough mold in the freezer for 10 minutes.
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Create color and mold for the 3rd time
The last dough block, you add a few drops of food coloring, mix well, and knead it lightly again.
Next, add the yellow dough into the mold on top of the orange dough, spread it evenly, and press to smooth the surface of the dough.
Put the dough mold in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Tip:- If you do not want to use food coloring, you can create color from vegetables, although it takes time, it is safe.
- See details: How to make food coloring at home from natural ingredients.
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Shaping, baking, and decorating
After 2 hours, you take the dough mold out, lift the non-stick paper to remove the dough onto the table.
Next, cut the dough into long strips about 1cm thick. Each strip is then cut into 6 small triangles. Arrange the dough pieces on the baking tray.
Preheat the oven for 10 minutes at a temperature of 180 degrees Celsius.
Bake the cookies at 350 degrees F (about 170 degrees Celsius) for 7-10 minutes until cooked.
Once the cookies are cooked, you can use melted chocolate or syrup to draw cute shapes on top of the cookies, such as smiley faces, stars, hearts,… to make them more visually appealing.
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Final product
The popcorn cookies are sweet, buttery, and visually stunning, perfect for eating and decorating for a lively and cheerful Halloween party.
2. Ghost Cookies
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Preparation
35 minutes
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Processing
20 minutes
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Difficulty
Medium
Ingredients for Ghost Cookies Serves 4
All-purpose flour 125 gr Unsalted butter 230 gr Baking powder 1/2 teaspoon (baking powder) Eggs 2 Sugar 200 gr Vanilla 2 teaspoons Salt 1/2 teaspoon Baking powder 1/2 teaspoon Whipping cream 1/2 cup Chocolate 100 gr Decorative candy a little
How to Make Ghost Cookies
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Mixing the Cookie Dough
Add 230g of unsalted butter into a bowl, use a mixer to beat until the butter is fluffy, then add 1 cup of sugar and beat together. Beat until the butter and sugar are well combined, then gradually add 2 eggs and beat until fluffy.
Next, add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract into the butter mixture and mix well.
Prepare another bowl, sift in 125g of all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, and mix well.
Divide the flour into 2 portions and gradually add them into the butter mixture, mixing until the mixture is well combined.
Tip: Sifting the flour helps break up any lumps, resulting in finer flour, making the cookies crispier and tastier. -
Kneading the Dough and Proofing
After mixing with the machine, knead the dough by hand until it forms a cohesive mass.
Divide the dough into two portions and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap.
Place the dough in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes until it hardens.
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Shaping and Baking
Next, sprinkle flour on a clean surface to prevent sticking.
Take the dough and roll it out to about 1cm thick.
Use a tulip-shaped cookie cutter to press into the dough, remove the piece of dough you just cut, and cut off the stem.
Next, use the round tip of a piping bag to press onto the piece of dough to create eye shapes.
Shape half of the dough into eye shapes, and leave the other half as is. Place the cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Preheat the oven for 10 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius to stabilize the temperature. Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes at 170 degrees Celsius until done.
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Making Chocolate Sauce
Chop 100g of chocolate and place it in a bowl.
Heat 1/2 cup of whipping cream, then pour it into the bowl with the chocolate, stirring until the chocolate melts and forms a smooth mixture.
Let the chocolate cool slightly, then transfer it to a piping bag.
Tip: Do not cook the chocolate too long on the stove, as it can cause separation and the chocolate may burn.
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Take a cookie without a hole, evenly squeeze chocolate on top, smooth it out, then take a cookie with a hole and press it on top. You can also draw a mouth, nose,… or add decorative candy as desired.
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Final product
Ghost cookies look very cute and lovely. The cake has a fragrant, crispy sweet taste combined with chocolate inside, making it a treat that anyone would love on the upcoming Halloween day.
Tips for Successful Execution
- After the cake has completely cooled, store it in an airtight container for later use; do not store the cake while it’s still warm as it will create moisture that makes the cake soggy and spoils quickly.
- Since the cake contains no preservatives, you should only consume it within 3 days at room temperature, and up to a week if stored in the refrigerator’s cool compartment.
- The cake does not last long, so make just enough each time to avoid waste.
Wishing you success in making candy corn cookies and ghost cookies to add both adorable and delicious treats to your Halloween party table!